it's all greek to me

I have been busy as a bee trying to get to the bottom of this whole internet situation. There really is so much to consider, so much to figure out, and oh so much to learn. It’s the search engines that have really thrown me for a loop.

If I have learned anything, it is that things are not always as you expect them to be. Being a chef it has been difficult for me to wrap my arms around my dietary constraints. While my mother will attest to my “picky” eating, I am sure she will confirm my attempt at a healthy well-being (these days, anyway). However, she never has understood my love of salad. I believe that in her heart of hearts she wishes her doctor/nutritionist would tell her she should never eat a salad again. I think it is being brought up having an iceberg salad every night with dinner, oh well. We always want what we cannot have. I still dream of a huge mound of greek salad next to a slice of pizza. The perfect meal! Not so much for me anymore, but I am working to replace those cravings. Speaking of, today I think I will have a wrap with chicken, feta and some homemade greek dressing (extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, oregano, salt and pepper – so easy and oh so good!). I am conquering one meal, one craving at a time…

plain old girl

We all have our battles, our personal struggles. I am not unique. I am here to tell my story, to hopefully relate to those of you going through or having gone through similar situations. I am not a doctor. I am not a registered dietician or a nutritionist. I am just a plain old girl trying to muddle her way thru it all. I have learned that it is ok to talk about your colon and digestive tract. However, do proceed with caution…not everyone is there yet. Colons have become the topic of conversation at many dinner parties around here! (Perhaps it is true what they say of age). I have learned along the way that people want or need to talk about their intestinal issues, but just aren’t comfortable doing it. I am not suggesting that you throw it out there right after “please pass the potatoes…”. You may not be invited back… But, it is important to know and to recognize that you are not alone. I cannot stress the importance of seeking medical attention for the irregularities (to name a few): pain, bloating, frequency, urgency, lack of control, unintended weight loss, bleeding. ESPECIALLY blood. Please do not assume “it is just hemorrhoids”. At various points I will be sharing information about my medications, therapies, treatments and surgeries. I would like to stress that just because certain courses worked (or did not work) for me, it is not indicative of your response. I can only share my experiences. I urge you to consult with your medical professionals. Everybody is different. Everyone responds differently. There is a reason that IBD is such a difficult, baffling disease.

new at this

Let’s be clear…I really know nothing about blogs, but it has been suggested to me many times that I create one. So I figured, why not? What do I have to lose, I mean besides my dignity…and that I assure you, is long gone. So to all of you fellow bloggers out there, please feel free to offer some advice, some helpful hints. I will get to the food part soon, but I just want to lay the groundwork, the background, so to speak. I think it is important that you know where I have been to understand how I got to where I am now.

First Foot

So, my first real diagnosed flare up in 1998 was classified as proctitis (inflammation in the lower portion of the colon). I was on and off medications to keep the symptoms at bay when they reared their ugly head. It was nothing to really worry about, it only affected the first foot of my colon – hell, I had 5 other feet! I continued to think this way. It just became a way of life. Get a flare up, take the pills, use the suppositories, get better. Suddenly, these cycles were repeating too frequently. The proctitis was creeping up my colon, and then all of a sudden the doctors were calling it Ulcerative Colitis. Even I knew this was not a good development (it meant that a larger portion of the colon was involved), but still NOT a big deal. Deny, deny, deny… I then found myself at my doctors’ office quarterly, which became monthly, then weekly. I had been on prednisone so long I looked like a pufferfish. I had a really hard time trying to cope with this, because when one is in the bathroom 20 times a day, ONE WOULD THINK…I should be on the new cover of Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue! Not so much…oh well…one can still dream…

here I go

Well, mine is a long story to tell, but we have plenty of time… As I have mentioned I am 39 years old. I have three boys who are 11, 8 and 7. I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis right after the birth of my first son, 11 years ago. I assumed I was having complications from a difficult delivery. Apparently, my husband says he recognized my “issues” long before that. His initial recollections of me (we worked together) were “Wow, this chick goes to the bathroom a lot”. I still giggle when he tells the stories…recalls the stops at any Burger King, diner or gas station along the way to our destination. I always had eagle eyes for the restroom sign at every mall, store or restaurant, and never stopped looking over my shoulder to be sure I had a straight shot to it…in case I needed it, of course. And I always did…

I will get to all the grueling details as we progress, but I would like to tell you what brings me here today. After exhausting all avenues, therapies and medications I had to have my entire colon removed. Believe it or not, this was the light at the end of my tunnel. I was a fighter and had fought the good fight, but I was clearly losing (actually getting the shit kicked out of me, no pun intended) quickly.

Upon my recovery from the surgeries, I was unable to find a cookbook that suited my situation. I could find a recipe here, a recipe there. There was nothing convenient. I contacted my surgeon who recommended a nutritionist in New York City. She was fantastic. However, she was limited in resources/cookbooks she could recommend for my situation. I understand that many patients go for the trial and error philosophy. That is not my style. I needed my guidelines, I needed my restrictions. But more importantly, at this point, I know I needed nutrients. It was at this point I was determined to create such a book. I hope you will enjoy starting this journey with me…